Dead head-swapping engine for upgrade! Need help

[Surferjer]

I have a 4AGE with a dead head (went with head gasket) and since I'm swapping heads and or motors anyway, it's time to upgrade! My car is a 87 FX16 with a fuel injected blue top.

If i put in a red top head (small port), what else would I have to do to make it all work?

If i swapped to a silver or blacktop, what issues will I face?

Which of the three will "harness right up"?

What peripherals will need to be replaced? Alternator, distributor, Starter, fuel rail, etc? I think my transaxle will be fine with any of them (according to the sticky), but i could be wrong.

Thanks for any and all guidance. I am looking for fast reliability on the track. The FX16 has been a great car and deserves more than 112 HP. I'd even consider another bluetop head with a cam upgrade, but it seems to be a better idea to do more for less with a motor swap. If a redtop head is easy and quick, that might do it, too.

I read the stickies, and I did a search. Please help!!!

[REN69]

Swapping to 20V your only issue would be wiring, everything else would be straight forward.

Smallport head will most likely require the smallport ECU and electronics, I think a redtop bigport head would be a quicker swap.

[Surferjer]

A bogport wouldn't provide any noticable performance improvement, right? I'm looking to step my HP up. So if I go smallport I'll also need the ECU? bummer, but doable...

[Donald]

the easiest mod will be to reinstall a big port head with small port pistons.
That will bump up your compression and give you better torque and HP, and won't require any other mods(wiring, ECU, etc).

+ cams will be good too.